Soundless and Silence
by Gazlover12-Canada
Summary: In order to save his partner's life, Arthur made a deal with a witch and gave up two things, his voice and his hearing. Now Alfred feels nothing but guilt, and as they travel to cities and kingdoms slaying monsters he is determined to make it up. What he doesn't realize is that Arthur will do anything for him, with no grudges whatsoever. UsUk AU, rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**A new story...again. My other ones are being worked on as we speak, so please don't get upset.**

"Come on Artie, we're almost there," Alfred told his companion, resting a hand on Arthur's shoulder as he urged him forward. The Englishman was reluctant though, because frankly the old abandoned house in front of them looked quite sketchy. Two of the front windows were broken, and the porch steps were split down the middle. He had a feeling they were being watched yet he didn't see anyone.

Alfred didn't look scared at all, despite his known fear of ghosts. Arthur wanted to ask why they were here, but there was no way he could. He stopped in his tracks though, resisting Alfred's tugging.

"It's safe Arthur," Alfred promised, though his words did little. Instead of trying to verbally communicate, the American resorted to tracing a finger over the Brit's cheek and smiling. Arthur glanced at him suspiciously, but allowed himself to be led up the broken stairs. Before Alfred could even knock, the door flew open and revealed...a flamboyant man.

From what Arthur could tell, the man was probably a snob. He wore bright clothing, and a silky blue cape. He could definitely stand out in a crowd. His long silky hair was pulled back and tied by a ribbon, and his shoes were so shiny that one could probably see their reflection.

Another obvious thing was that he was a vampire. His skin was far too pale to be human, and when he smiled, which he did as soon as he opened the door, his mouth revealed a pair of sharp fangs.

"Bonjour Alfred. You're smelling well," The vampire greeted Alfred, a dangerous smile forming on his lips. His long silky hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and his usual blue eyes were tinted black around the rims.

"Francis," Alfred nodded, drawing Arthur a little closer to him, and earning a roll of the eyes from the Brit. The vampire noticed this and smirked.

"After all these years you still don't trust me? I'm hurt, mon ami!" He cried out in mock despair. "I have done nothing but help you and your brother since you were children, and this is how you repay me?"

"Sorry Francis, it just looks like you haven't fed in a while. You know I trust you." Alfred replied with an apologetic grin.

"Of course I know that. Now, why have you sought me out? I take it you aren't here just for a friendly visit." Francis said, curiously eying Arthur. "Won't you introduce me to your lovely friend?"

"This is Arthur," Alfred told him, wrapping an arm around the shorter man's shoulders.

"Arthur," Francis murmured. "What a lovely name. A lovely face too...just look at those eyes."

Arthur stiffened and sent the vampire a glare, but he didn't open his mouth. Alfred rubbed his shoulder in reassurance, so he backed down. Francis slowly stepped closer, eyes narrowing in his usual attentive curiosity.

"Won't you speak, mon lapin?" He asked softly.

"Arthur...um...he can't speak." Alfred said, head hanging down. "Or hear. Not anymore, at least. That's why I'm here."

"Hmm?" Francis cocked his head. "I see. And why might this be?"

"It's my fault. I was fighting a venomous serpent monster that was causing trouble in a local village, and it bit me. I was going to die, but Arthur made a deal with a local witch. She gave the medicine to save me for the price of his voice and his hearing." Alfred explained guiltily.

Francis's eyes filled with sorrow. He reached out to cup Arthur's chin. "Oh cher," He sighed. "It was a very noble thing to do. You don't regret it one bit, do you?"

Arthur drew his head back, not liking to be touched by this vampire one bit. Although he could not understand what the man was saying, it was true that he did not regret his actions whatsoever. He wished that the other wouldn't feel so bad about it. He tried endlessly to get Alfred to understand, but it was hard without words.

"You've lived for a long time, and you always seem to know things. So...is there any way to fix it?" Alfred asked eagerly. His heart just about shattered when he saw Francis shake his head.

"You have my apologies Alfred, but nothing can be done to get his voice back. Once a deal with a witch is made, nothing can be done. I have seen things like this before happen. You're just lucky that she only took those two things. Some witches have been known to take souls, or even memories." Francis told him.

"Oh...yeah, I guess you're right." Alfred said with a sigh. "It's all my fault though. Arthur told me not to go fight it alone, but I didn't listen. Then I got bitten, and this whole mess has happened."

Arthur tugged on his sleeve, shaking his head. He didn't know what the American was saying, but he knew from his look that he was probably blaming himself for the whole situation.

"I can offer something to soothe his throat though. It will ease the pain." Francis offered.

"Wha...pain?" Alfred asked, horrified. "He's hurting?!"

"Yes, he winces slightly whenever he breathes. He's good at hiding the pain, but nothing can get past my senses," Francis winked. "The pain should wear off in a few days though."

As soon as the vampire walked away, Alfred turned and grabbed Arthur by both of his slim shoulders. "Arthur, you have to let me know if you're in pain! I've already harmed you so much, and I just can't-" He choked on his words, covering his eyes with a hand. "Dammit, it's so hard when you can't understand me! I feel like I'm talking to a wall sometimes."

Arthur's eyes widened and he gripped Alfred's hand in alarm. Alfred was practically crying, something that he never did. That made Arthur scared and guilty, because Alfred was likely crying due to him.

When the vampire came back and handed him the tea, Arthur registered that he had sensed his pain and told Alfred, so he gave him a harsh glare. That know-it-all bloodsucker needed to stop sticking his nose in other people's business. He'd been handling the pain fine! Besides, it wasn't nearly as bad as when it first happened, which was almost a week ago.

"Seriously dude, when's the last time you've drank?" Alfred asked in concern, once he made sure Arthur was drinking his tea.

"Hmm? Oh don't worry about that. I think I'll search the city tonight." Francis reassured him.

One of the good things about Francis was that he didn't overfeed, like most vampires did. He waited until he was in jeopardy of losing control, and then he would drink just enough to have a satisfying fill.

"I don't know what to do," Alfred whispered. "What should I do Francis?"

"In times of sorrow, family is the solution." Francis said with a wink. "Why don't you and your amour go visit Mathieu?"

"Oh hey, that's a good idea!" Alfred brightened. "I haven't seen him in so long. How's he doing?"

"Well I last saw him around a month ago. You haven't met his new husband yet, have you?"

"That damn werewolf?" Alfred asked, growling at the thought of his younger brother married so soon. "Nah, I haven't met him yet. I don't think I'm gonna like him though. Anyone who takes to my brother that way is my enemy."

"Come now Alfred, Gilbert is a wonderful husband for Mathieu! Your brother is now royalty!"

Matthew had married Gilbert only two months ago, and had resided in the Kingdom of Hetalia. Gilbert Beilschmidt and his younger brother Ludwig had grown up as prince's of the place. Gilbert was next in line for king, but during a battle with some monsters he'd got bitten by a werewolf.

Because he was now a werewolf, he was declared unfit to be king, and so when their father died Ludwig took over. Gilbert was in charge of the royal guard, but he despised himself for what he was. Then Matthew had met him, and they had fallen in love. Or at least that's all Alfred knew from his brother's letters.

It wasn't the werewolf fact that bothered Alfred. He didn't have a problem with good monsters, as his profession was only slaying the evil ones who purposely harmed others for no reason. No, his problem was that Gilbert had married his younger twin brother, and Matthew hadn't even told him until the wedding was over, because apparently he was 'too protective' or some bullshit like that.

That was why Alfred hadn't visited his brother in so long, because he was mad. Matthew knew he was upset too, but he determinedly wrote that he would stay with Gilbert in his letters. Now Alfred decided that he needed to see Matthew though. His brother knew him, and he would be able to help him deal with what he'd done to Arthur.

Arthur...his Arthur who was his everything. His companion, his hunting partner, his lover. Now his dear Arthur was probably feeling lost and scared inside. Alfred could only imagine what it was like being unable to hear, or to speak. He watched the Brit now, noticing how Arthur was looking at everything around him in mild interest. His sight was the only thing he could rely on now...Alfred wanted to fix it.

But he couldn't. For once he was powerless.

Alfred was jerked from his thoughts when his elbow was touched. He looked over to meet familiar gorgeous green eyes, which were filled with question and concern.

"We're going to Matthew's Arthur," Alfred told him with a smile. Although he couldn't understand, Arthur smiled back and touched Alfred's face.

"Hey Francis, can we crash here? I want to start the journey for Hetalia early tomorrow morning, and we need rest."

"Be my guest," Francis winked. "You know where everything is. For now, I must venture out for my meal."

With that, the Frenchman vamp slipped out the window without making a single sound. Alfred suppressed a tiny shudder, hoping that Francis' victim of the night would be some drunk homeless criminal.

"Come on Arthur, let's go get some sleep. Tomorrow's gonna be a long day."

**I'd really like to know if anyone is even interested in this. **

**See, I've been into fantasy lately. Probably cause I've watched a lot of fantasy movies lately, haha. So then my brain wouldn't leave me alone, and this was created. I'm not sure if it's interesting or dumb, but please let me know if I should continue.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the wait! I've come down with a terrible ailment called laziness. Anyway, enjoy!**

"Thanks again Francis, for everything!" Alfred called cheerfully the next morning. It was time to journey to the Hetalia Kingdom, for a visit with Matthew that was long overdue. Arthur hadn't known where they were going until Alfred showed him an old picture of Matthew he had, which caused the Brit's eyes to brighten in understanding.

"Not a problem Alfred! Do give Mathieu my regards, yes?" Francis replied. "And I wish you luck on your journey there. Things will get better. I have one of those feelings..."

"I sure hope so..." Alfred murmured as he shrugged on his cloak. He reached over absentmindedly to fasten Arthur's cloak up, but his hands were slapped away. He chuckled and stepped back. "Hey Francis, which direction are the town stables?"

Not long after that, Alfred had managed to purchase a fine looking stallion that would be able to take them on the long journey to Hetalia. Alfred had done some calculations, and it would take at least a week to get there on horseback, which actually wasn't too bad.

As he tacked up their horse, he noticed Arthur stroking the animal's neck and murmuring soundless words. The horse seemed to understand, and nuzzled him back. The American thought that it was quite a beautiful scene, but sad too because of the silence. Once he was done preparing, Alfred mounted the stallion and held out his hand to Arthur, giving him a boost up.

"Hold on tight," Alfred said, grasping Arthur's hands and wrapping them around his own waist. When he was sure that they were both settled, Alfred nudged the horse and they began their journey to Hetalia.

* * *

Day by day they made fast progress. It wasn't too much of a complicated route. The only problem was that it was mostly desert, so the heat became almost unbearable at times. They had plenty of water and resources with them though, so neither of them got too overheated.

Alfred had control of the reins most of the time, but once Arthur had sat up front before he could stop him and had taken control. It made Alfred nervous, but then he realized that they both had plenty of experience with riding, and that he did just fine without verbal commands to the animal.

Ever since Arthur lost his hearing and voice, Alfred had felt very protective of him. He knew that Arthur was nowhere near being helpless, but that didn't stop the worrying. If they were attacked by a monster then how on earth would Arthur hear it? Plus he and Alfred wouldn't be able to communicate aloud while fighting either.

Alfred had been fighting monsters since he was fifteen. When he was very young, his parents had been killed by a terrible demon. He and his twin brother Matthew had been young and helpless, until they met a certain vampire. Francis had given them shelter and money, and he'd also taught them good self defense moves.

Matthew wasn't much of a fighter, so he had ended up settling in Hetalia when he was a teenager. Alfred had chosen a different route: to kill and hunt monsters and demons who were ruthless and attacked humans and others. He didn't want any kid to go through the pain that he had.

Around two years ago, Alfred had met Arthur. Arthur was special...and that was no over exaggeration. He was gifted. Arthur could see and communicate with rare and delicate creatures, such as fairies. He also practiced magic, although he tended not to use it for fighting.

Arthur's parents were going to force him to marry some lord, and so he had run away. Alfred had met him in pure coincidence. The green eyed male was being attacked by a monster, and so Alfred had stepped in to help. After that they talked, and Alfred had taken a liking to him instantly, and invited him to be his hunting partner. Not long after that, their relationship turned a bit more closer than that...

There was one minor problem. Arthur's three older brothers were looking for him. The Kirkland's were a well known wealthy family, so word soon got around that Arthur was missing. Thankfully they were a long ways away from Britain, so they didn't have to be as careful now. Still, eventually Arthur's brothers would catch up, and they needed to be prepared for when that happened.

Alfred felt a tugging on his sleeve, so he turned around to see what Arthur wanted. The shorter male was frowning and pointed up to the sun.

"What...I don't understand," Alfred muttered, shaking his head in a stupor. Arthur's grown intensified and he pointed up once again, holding up six fingers.

"Oh!" Alfred suddenly understood. Arthur was wondering how much longer the journey was going to be. They had already been traveling for six days. "Only one more day Arthur. We'll make camp tonight and reach Hetalia Kingdom by noon tomorrow." Alfred said, holding up one finger to show him. Arthur nodded and smiled at the good news.

Alfred grinned back. "Let's start looking for a place to camp tonight, shall we?"

* * *

Hetalia Kingdom was a bright and bustling place, full of smiles and friendly greetings. Alfred hadn't been there in a long time. Thankfully it would be easy to find Matthew, since he resided at the castle with Gilbert now.

It didn't take much persuasion for the guards to let them in. All Alfred had to do was mention Matthew and Gilbert, and state his own name. Before anything else could be said, their horse was led away to the royal stables and they were escorted inside the castle. It didn't take long for Alfred's brother to see them at all.

"Alfred!" Matthew shouted, surprised but very pleased as he ran into an elegant sitting room that Alfred and Arthur had been brought to. "I didn't know you would be coming here! Oh I've missed you!"

Alfred felt better already as his twin pulled him into a hug and rambled. "Oh this is so wonderful. I've been thinking a lot about you lately. You haven't sent me a letter in so long, I was worried. Now you can meet Gilbert! Oh, and the king too! Ludwig is very wonderful, as is his queen Feliciano. You'll like them, I know!"

"That's great Mattie," Alfred said softly, not even cringing at Gilbert's name. Matthew must have realized that he wasn't being his usual loud self and frowned. Then he realized that Arthur was in the room too and smiled.

"Oh, you must be Arthur right? Alfred had talked a lot about you in his letters. I'm glad he has you with him. It makes me worry less. I'm his twin brother Matthew, but I'm sure you know that." Matthew greeted him.

Arthur realized that Matthew was talking to him, but since he could not understand he only smiled. Alfred patted his shoulder and smiled sadly at Matthew. "I'm afraid Arthur can no longer speak nor hear. There was...an accident. Only recently."

"Oh," Matthew frowned in surprise. "I see. It seems there is much to discuss. First though, you both must be tired and hungry. Why don't I bring you to a guest room. You can both bathe and then join Gilbert and I for dinner. That will give you a chance to meet."

"Sure. A bath and food sounds very good." Alfred said, cheering up at the thought. "Oh, and we're going to have a talk about you marrying a werewolf Mattie! Without even getting my permission first!"

"Gilbert's a wonderful person Alfred. I wish you could meet him right now, but he's training some new army recruits." Matthew told him, chuckling. Alfred had to admit, Matthew seemed very happy. Usually his brother was shy and quiet, even around him.

Alfred and Arthur were brought further into the castle. Matthew didn't show them much. King Ludwig was in a conference right now and could not be disturbed, so they could not see the throne room. Matthew showed them the kitchen, dining rooms, ballroom, and library before taking them to a guest room.

"I take it you guys are sharing a room, right?" Matthew asked with a knowing smile.

"That's right," Alfred nodded, wrapping an arm around Arthur's waist. Arthur blushed and slapped his hand away, causing the other two to laugh.

"Well, I'll leave you two to bathe and rest then. I'll have a servant escort you to dinner in a few hours." Matthew said, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Alfred breathed a sigh of relief. Matthew was doing better than ever! Already he was feeling better that he had felt since the whole incident occurred. He then looked around the room and gasped in awe. Frankly for only a guest room the place was huge, and elegant too. Well, at least that meant Matthew was being well taken care of, living in luxuries.

"We need to get cleaned off, huh?" Alfred talked to himself. There was a bathroom connected to their bedroom, with a tub that looked big enough to fit a dozen people. There was a shelf next to the tub filled with different kinds of soaps and shampoos. Alfred stared at it for a moment before grinning and turning the faucet on so it could start filling.

There was a knock on the door, so Alfred rushed out to answer it. There was a woman who was obviously a servant, although she looked well kept and pretty.

"Clothes for you and your partner, sir." She said, handing him a bundle. Alfred thanked her and she left. The bundle was full of clothes. Alfred sorted through it, and discovered that they had been given three outfits in all. Two full day outfits for each of them, and some nightshirts.

"Well, it looks like they have our sizes right for the most part...your shirts might be a bit big, but that's alright, huh Art?" Alfred said, setting the clothes aside and looking up. To his surprise, Arthur was no longer sitting on the edge of the bed like he had been a few minutes ago.

"Artie?" Alfred looked around wildly, and gave a sigh of relief when he saw that Arthur was standing in front of a dresser, looking into the mirror. He watched Arthur for a moment. The Brit was peering at his own reflection, and slowly reached out to touch the mirror.

Arthur was beautiful to put it plainly. His hair was messy but perfectly so. His skin was creamy and soft. His eyes were hypnotizing and stunning. His figure was petite and lithe. Anyone who didn't know Arthur thought that it was impossible for him to face something like a demon. He always proved people wrong though. He would prance around his pray elegantly, a dangerous tint in his eye before going in for the kill. To Alfred, it was beautiful and incredibly sexy at the same time.

"God I love you Arthur," Alfred murmured. As if he heard him (or perhaps sensed him staring) Arthur looked up and met the American's gaze. He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow in question. Alfred just shook his head and smiled.

Soon they were bathed and dressed properly. It felt nice to be in brand new clothes. Their usual outfits were torn and dirty. Each of them had plenty enough money to buy clothes, but usually did so when absolutely necessary. It was quite a hassle to carry things like extra clothes when you were always traveling.

They had a few hours to spare before dinner, and so it was time to rest. Alfred laid on the bed, beckoning Arthur over to join him. The smaller man was quick to come over. Alfred slipped his hands around his waist and pulled him close, burying his nose into his hair, which smelt delicious rom the bath. Alfred closed his eyes and allowed his body to rest.

* * *

"_Oh bloody hell...Alfred, we need to get out of here right now!"_

"_Hmm? How come? We haven't even ordered pancakes and bacon yet. You know that's our tradition whenever we defeat a monster Arthur!" Alfred reminded him, stomach rumbling just at the thought of the delicious food. _

"_Look at this!" Arthur hissed, shoving a paper into Alfred's face. He held the paper upright and read it:_

_**Missing: Arthur Kirkland **_

_**LARGE REWARD IF FOUND**_

_**Youngest of the Kirkland Estate, valuable and gifted with the sight. Found missing from his bed with possessions gone, so deemed as a runaway. If found, handle with care and bring to the nearest law officers. **_

_Arthur's picture was on the paper as well._

"_Handle with care, huh?" Alfred grinned. "I'm handing you with care, aren't I babe?"_

"_Dammit Alfred, it's not funny!" Arthur glared. "I can't believe they're looking for me here as well. We aren't even in England!"_

"_Yeah, we should probably get a move on. I was thinking we could go east, what do you think?"_

"_Yes, yes." Arthur agreed. "As long as it isn't towards home then I'm fine with it. Now hurry and get your bags!"_

"_Arthur," Alfred stood, grasping both of the man's upper arms. _

"_What?!" Arthur snapped._

"_Calm down. Just take a deep breath." Alfred instructed. "Now listen. I won't let them take you back. I won't let anyone or anything hurt you, okay?"_

"_Y-Yes," Arthur sighed, looking downward. "I'm sorry. It just scares me sometimes...I never want to go back there. My parents treat me like some possession...or at least Father does. My brothers are alright, but they do everything Father tells them."_

_Alfred used a hand to tilt Arthur's chin up. "I love you Arthur."_

"_I...I love you too, you dolt," Arthur replied with a sigh, giving up. Alfred smiled and pressed his lips to his partner's. _

Alfred woke up from his dream with a jolt, for someone was knocking on the door.

"Well...I guess that means dinner is ready."

**a/n: Well...hopefully that was at least okay! Let me know what you think so far! By the way, it will get more interesting soon, don't worry. I know this chapter was a bit boring.**


	3. Chapter 3

To say things were tense in the room was a big underestimate. Alfred sat on one side of the table with Arthur close by. On the other side sat his twin brother and his lover. His werewolf lover. Gilbert Beilschmidt had strange red eyes and silvery hair. Honestly he looked creepy, and Alfred wanted to make sure that he stayed away from Arthur. Matthew on the other hand looked completely at ease, even holding hands with Gilbert under the table discreetly.

"Er...it's too bad the king couldn't make it," Matthew spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"He's too busy entertaining people who he deems better than us," Gilbert sneered, stabbing his fork into a lump of potato angrily.

"Mind the way you speak of our king. Remember that he is also your brother." Matthew chided gently.

"Yeah, yeah," Gilbert waved his hand impatiently and then laid his eyes on Arthur. "So what's up with that one? He smells different...is he retarded?"

"Gilbert!" Matthew cried out in horror, while at the same time Alfred banged his fist on the table yelling, "Of course not!"

Arthur, not really understanding what they were talking about, looked back with big eyes. He had been trying to follow the conversation by studying everyone's mouths when they talked. Unfortunately lip reading was much more complicated that he'd thought.

Alfred explained their situation once again, which was something he hated doing. He knew that all of this was his fault. Mattie had always said that he was too reckless. If only he had waited for Arthur before going after that monster.

Surprisingly, very much so, Gilbert and Matthew listened seriously to their situation. Once Alfred had calmly finished telling every single detail, he breathed a sigh and leaned back into his chair. Matthew was no longer looking at his brother, and instead his gaze was focused on Arthur.

"I am in Arthur's debt as well, for saving you Alfred." He said, smiling at Arthur with gratitude in his eyes. The British man smiled back, and then looked towards Alfred. His lover only reached out to ruffle his hair.

"It was a very bold thing to do. I'm impressed." Gilbert told Arthur, who only stared back, a little uneasy about someone he did not know. The albino werewolf then turned to Alfred. "You do realize that nothing can fix it though, right? So I take it you aren't here for a cure."

"Well, I have to admit I was hoping...but I knew better. I went and saw Francis, and he gave me the same answer." Alfred replied.

Matthew perked up. "Francis? How is he? I've missed him so much!"

"Oh he's as fine as ever," Alfred said with a snort. "He says to tell you hi."

"Francis...that's the vampire who raised you two right?" Gilbert inquired curiously.

"That's right. He's laying low right now, but doing as well as ever."

"Ksesese, raised by a blood drinker...that's gotta be a story."

"Allow us to indulge you." Alfred said with a smirk.

After dinner Gilbert excused himself to go to the training grounds, and so Matthew offered to give them a larger tour of the castle. Alfred found himself in an animated conversation with Matthew as they walked through the halls. He was so distracted, that he failed to notice that his lover has stopped following them.

Arthur's attention was to a door across the hall the that Matthew had failed to show them, despite it being cracked open. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he crept towards the doorway, assuming that he would easily be able to find Matthew and Alfred in a moment.

When he opened it, he was taken aback. The walls were lined with crystal mirrors, all illuminating brightly. Along the walls were bookshelves that towered all the way to the high ceiling. Obviously he was in a library of some sort. He stepped in a little further, mesmerized at his surroundings. So mesmerized in fact, that he jumped when someone touched his shoulder.

"Ve, who are you?"

Arthur whirled around with a silent yelp. His eyes widened at the person who stood behind him. He looked….well frankly, he looked like royalty which made sense since this was a castle after all. But he didn't look like a king...so did that made him the queen?

"Um...didn't you hear me? I was wondering who you are. I don't recognize you, and you don't look like a palace servant. Are you from the gardens then? I'm Queen Feliciano, but you can just call me Feliciano if you want...um, are you listening?"

Arthur saw the other man's lips moving, but as usual he couldn't hear a single thing that left his mouth. He could only smile sadly and point to his ears and throat. Once he did that, the other's eyes widened comically.

"Y-You can't hear me?" He asked in despair. "Or talk? Oh no, are you sick? I'll bring you to the doctor here. Don't worry, everything will be okay!

With that, Feliciano grabbed Arthur's hand and pulled him from the room, attempting to hurry down the hallway. Arthur had freaked of course, planting his feet on the ground stubbornly as he struggled to get away.

"Wait, don't be scared! I'm trying to help you." Feliciano tried soothing him. "I can get you some pasta, and then to Luddie. He'll know what to do!"

Again, Arthur only shook his head wildly, yanking his hand out of the queen's. Feliciano now looked on the verge of tears. But in what was perfect timing, two more people rushed down the hallway.

"Arthur, there you are!" Alfred yelled frantically, practically running into Arthur as he pulled his partner into a hug. Then he pulled back and looked him straight in he eyes, conveying his message well. "Dammit Artie, you can't just wander around like that. You don't know anyone here, it's dangerous…"

"Queen Feliciano," Matthew murmured politely, tilting his head down. Alfred heard that name and stiffened, suddenly realizing that it wasn't only Arthur and Mattie with him.

"Um… my Queen," Alfred said, respectfully bowing his head like Matthew. "I'm Matthew's twin brother Alfred. This is Arthur, my partner."

"Oh!" Feliciano perked up. "It's nice to meet you! But something is wrong with Arthur. I think he's sick!"

Alfred was getting pretty sick of explaining the events of what had happened, so he let Matthew explain. Once Matthew had given the queen an explanation, Feliciano had gone silent. Then, to everyone's surprise except Matthew's, he burst into tears.

"Oh how terrible! I'm so sorry! How awful...sad...I want Luddie!"

"I'll take you to him my queen," Matthew said soothingly, wrapping an arm around the sobbing man's shoulders. He looked apologetically at his twin. "Alfred, I trust that you and Arthur can manage it back to your room alone?"

"Yeah, sure thing." Alfred nodded, resting a hand on his lover's back. "Come on Arthur, let's go back now."

Back in their room, Alfred sat on the bed, pondering things while keeping a slight eye on Arthur. The green eyed man was exploring more of the room, studying the small bookshelf and other little trinkets laying around.

Well, they were with Matthew now, in a relatively safe kingdom.

But what now?

**Sorry for the long wait! I've been into some other anime's recently, but now I'm back with Hetalia! The next chapter will be longer and have a lot more action. Let's just say that we get some unfriendly visitors. **

**Um...people _are_ still interested in this, right?**


	4. Chapter 4

**I've had several people wonder why Arthur can't write to Alfred in order to communicate. Thank you for pointing that out, and let me assure you that you'll be able to understand why in this chapter. Please allow me to inform you that Gilbert uses a bit of strong language in this chapter.**

**Since I don't have a beta there may be mistakes, since I only read it over once. Let me know if there are any major typos!**

**Enjoy, and please leave a review when you're done reading. I always like to know what people's thoughts are! :)**

* * *

Arthur was irritated. Ever since the incident, Alfred was way too protective over him. He wasn't allowed to go anywhere on his own. If he even attempted to wander off, his partner would somehow sense it and come dragging him back while speaking useless, soundless words to him, probably to scold. It had been two days now since they'd arrived to Hetalia. Today, Alfred had apparently went to walk around the city. He made it clear that Arthur wasn't to come along, leaving him in their room and making motions to stay.

He was getting a little better with the whole communication thing. For instance, he could make out simple words if said slowly, through lip reading. Communicating with Alfred was still a bit difficult though. He didn't know hand signs, and writing was out of the question with his partner. You see, Alfred had never learned to read or write. He knew simple words, but he'd never grown up with the education that Arthur had.

Many commoners and regulars viewed writing as something useless and trivial. Where Alfred came from, it was mostly farm work and other sorts of labor. Arthur had come from a high class society though, and writing was of great importance to him. Since he practiced magic, he needed to be able to read books and such. Sometimes Alfred enjoyed listening to Arthur read to him. That was impossible now, what with his voice being gone.

It had been almost an hour now and Alfred wasn't back. Although their bedroom was wonderful, Arthur was growing bored of it. You could only explore something so many times before it became dull. Luckily his boredom was saved, as someone tapped him on the shoulder. For a moment he thought it was Alfred and reached out to smack on him, but saw that it was instead Matthew.

Arthur still hadn't gotten to know his partner's twin that well, but the lad seemed nice enough. Matthew said something to him, seemingly a question. Arthur cocked his head to the side, and the other man pointed to the window. For a moment he was confused, but then realized that perhaps Matthew was offering to take him outside, and nodded readily. Matthew smiled and motioned for him to follow.

They walked through the moderately crowded halls of the castle. Servants bustled around carrying trays or cleaning supplies. Many nodded in greeting to them, and Matthew spoke to a few of them as well. Eventually they came to a sort of fancy door. When it was opened, it revealed the bright light from outside. When his eyes adjusted, Arthur silently gasped in awe.

It was the castle gardens. Compared to the gardens at his old home, which Arthur had thought were the best, this outdid them greatly. Honestly, it looked as a scene straight out of a book. Elegant vines hung from lush trees, and many different aromas from the flowers surrounding the place wafted through the air. The garden looked quite huge too, probably expanding several miles.

Arthur was about to start looking around further, but Matthew turned him back to face him. He pointed to his lips and said three words very slowly. Arthur watched carefully.

Don't...left...heave...leave? Den...garden! Don't leave garden! Arthur nodded excitedly in understanding, happy that he was able to make out a whole sentence. Matthew smiled, patted his shoulder, and disappeared back inside.

He went further into the garden, taking time to examine every single flower and smell it. Arthur loved flowers. A lot of flowers were handy in medicines and potions. Some of the flowers here Arthur recognized as extremely rare. What was even better was that he wasn't alone. Now with Matthew gone, tiny figures began fluttering out in the open. It seemed that this garden attracted a good number of faires.

Arthur wasn't surprised. Fairies often hung around sacred areas such as this. He nodded politely to them, smiling when a few came curiously to examine him. He continued walking around with the little magical creatures on his tail. Suddenly to his surprise they all scattered away quickly, and a shadow loomed over him. Arthur whirled around, ready to take on whatever was about to attack him.

Much to both his relief but also annoyance, he discovered that it wasn't some sort of evil monster. Well...it could be considered a monster, but not really evil. Matthew's werewolf lover was standing there, grinning widely. When Arthur's eyes met his, he began babbling rapidly. Arthur blinked and then scowled, unable to understand whatever the albino was rambling about.

Gilbert then suddenly grabbed his arm, pulling him quickly through the garden. Arthur swore silently and tried smacking at him. What on earth did the stupid werewolf want? He had been having quite a nice time, and he certainly wasn't ready to go back inside. However, to Arthur's surprise, Gilbert wasn't forcing him back inside. There was a separate iron gate that Gilbert tugged him through. His curiosity getting the better of him, Arthur allowed himself to be led outside the gardens, to the castle grounds.

It seemed that the albino had taken him to...a stable? A very large stable it seemed. Gilbert spoke a few words to some boys who were bundling hay before leading Arthur inside. He still rambled on to Arthur, who at this point didn't bother to lip read. His interest perked up at the sight of the many different horses around them. Gilbert made a gesture as if to choose one, and so Arthur inspected the creatures.

Twenty minutes later, Arthur sat atop a saddled beautiful black thoroughbred mare, with bright purple eyes with a center of yellow. Gilbert had his own horse, a large gray stallion. It seemed that they would be going for a ride then. It hadn't taken long for Arthur to realize that Gilbert sympathized with his boredom, and he had gained a new appreciation for the werewolf.

What Arthur didn't expect was to be given a sword. It wasnt anything too large, but rather lightweight and easily held. He slipped it into his belt and gently nudged his horse, following Gilbert outside the stables.

* * *

Gilbert understood how it felt to be helpless. When he'd first been bitten, that was exactly how he'd felt. He, the firstborn, ended up getting his title away from him. A title that had made him proud his whole lifetime. His little brother now bore the title of King, and he was merely a monster. It didn't exactly seem fair. Although he loved his brother, it was hard to look at him now without feeling a burning sensation of jealousy in his stomach.

It Arthur Kirkland had been brave enough to sacrifice two such important things as hearing and speaking, then obviously the guy had guts. Either that, or he was desperately in love with Alfred. Now that he thought about it, it was probably both. He understood what it meant to love. If anything ever happened at Matthew then Gilbert would give up anything.

Either way, he observed the way Alfred treated his partner. Although it was out of love, Gilbert knew how aggravated the green eyed man was feeling. Just because one couldn't hear or talk didn't mean that they were incapable of taking care of themselves. That was why he decided Arthur needed to get out and have some fun, and what could be more fun than a horseback ride through the forest?

Although the forest was a beautiful place, that didn't mean it was totally safe. Just in case they ran into anything unwanted, he gave Arthur an extra sword and brought his own along as well. Call him crazy, but Gilbert was sort of itching for a fight. Things had been pretty lax around the Kingdom these last few weeks, so a challenge was welcome. Either way, at least he was with an interesting person.

Speaking of which, Arthur was riding the black mare, Ametrime. That horse had a reputation for giving people who rode her a rough time. It was quite the opposite with her current rider though. She'd come right up to Arthur in the stall, and so Gilbert decided to allow him to ride her. It seemed to be a good choice.

"You know, I'm not sure why Alfred is so nervous for you," Gilbert spoke casually, because even if Arthur couldn't hear, it was better than silence. "If you can ride Ametrine then you can do just about anything. Are you good with all animals, or is this just a fluke?"

Arthur, as predicted, didn't respond. He looked quite happy though, and so Gilbert took that in with satisfaction. Was he awesome or what?

Suddenly in mid canter, Arthur halted his horse. Gilbert, who was a bit ahead, did so as well in confusion. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

But Arthur looked alarmed, and soon Gilbert realized why as his werewolf senses came into play. The forest was dead silent. The leaves were not moving, the birds were not chirping, the squirrels were not squabbling in the tree branches...it was just dead silence.

That meant something dangerous was nearby. Gilbert couldn't resist a grin, pulling out his large silver sword. "Excellent. Let's have some fun, huh Art?"

Arthur drew out his own weapon as well, peering very hard into the shadowed trees. Although he didn't hear it, there was an odd sort of grumble, one that probably would have been very familiar to him if he could hear.

"A demon!" Gilbert hissed excitedly. "Just what I've been wanting."

Not a moment after he said that, the creature leapt out of the trees. Only it wasn't just one, but a pair of them. They were a popular breed in these parts, called 'commons'. Not a terrible threat, but their bites were nasty and had venom that could paralyze a body part for a few days. They were round, toad-like things about the size of a large hog. There were two claws per toe, and had spiky behinds.

They were easily killed things, as long as you had good reflexes. Right away when one launched itself towards him, all it took was two strong swings to behead it. The other one was about to pounce in Arthur's direction. Gilbert readied his sword to kill it, but stopped when he saw the look of determination in his new friend's eyes.

Gilbert realized that Arthur could handle it just fine. After all, from what he heard, Arthur was already a pretty skilled monster fighter. You didn't need to talk, or even hear in order to kill a little demon such as this. He had been correct. With one clean swipe, the second demon lay still on the ground. Arthur looked quite pleased with himself, reaching out to scratch his horse's neck, who had been calm the entire time.

"Well done Arthur!" Gilbert praised, giving him a thumbs up in excited approval. "You're just as fine as before, huh? You just need the chance to prove yourself to your partner. You sensed those things before I did, and I'm a fucking werewolf!"

Arthur didn't exactly know what Gilbert was saying, but he knew his skills were being praised and grinned back. It looked like he'd found himself a true friend.

"Let's head back, okay? I think we should help you develop a new fighting style." The albino said, his mind already going into battle mode. "Since you and Alfred work together, we need ways for you to communicate without words to him. We also need a way for you to know when you're being attacked from behind, or to the side."

"Let's go!" He said, turning his horse around to head back to the castle, still muttering about strategies. Arthur followed in excitement, and they both raced each other back.

* * *

"Wow, this really is quite the sword!" Alfred said approvingly, tracing his finger over the weapon's smooth yet deadly blade.

"Da. It was dipped and hardened in dragon acid, so she certainly won't break. The tip of the blade has been coated in fire poison, so your enemy will feel a burning pain in their wound for almost four hours. It is one of the finest weapons I have made," Responded the city's most popular blacksmith, a large and rather intimidating man named Ivan.

"Well it's definitely worth the price," Alfred dropped a large bag of gold into Ivan's hand. "How long have you been making weapons?"

"Ah, since I was fourteen. My father passed away, and so I took over the business." Ivan told him proudly. "My two sisters work next door. They make girl's clothes though, so I doubt you've met them. We Braginski's are well known for our hard work."

"Keep at it then!" Alfred said with a grin. "I'll probably be back soon. You've earned yourself another dedicated customer. Thanks for the sword."

"It is no problem. Just be careful, da?" Ivan responded kindly, and escorted Alfred from the shop.

He had been wandering the city all morning now, and his biggest goal had been to get a new weapon. His old sword, which was still very dear to him, just wasn't how it used to be. Anyway, at least now with this beautiful sword he could ensure that Arthur would be safe.

Speaking of which, he'd left Arthur in the castle today. He didn't want him wandering about the city until he could get a very good memorization of the place. People could be dangerous, and if Arthur were to get lost in a city this large and crowded, it would only result in trouble. Oh course he felt bad leaving his partner stuck inside on such a wonderful day, but Matthew said he'd find something to entertain Arthur, which put his mind at ease.

When he got back to the castle, he planned to spend the whole rest of the day with Arthur to make up for it. Maybe he'd take him for a walk, or they could explore the castle more. Either way, he would make up for leaving him behind today. Hopefully Arthur would just realize that it was for his own good for now. Alfred wasn't going to take any risks...not anymore.

* * *

Matthew was panicking. He'd come back to the gardens to find Arthur and bring him in for some lunch, only to discover that he was missing! He'd run all about the castle asking servants if they'd seen him, but nobody had. That meant that Arthur was probably still outside but not in the gardens, which meant danger!

"Alfred's going to kill me…" Matthew muttered worriedly to himself as he strolled out the front doors of the castle. He was on his way to find Gilbert. Maybe he would be able to track Arthur down. However, he was in a great shock when he got down to the training grounds.

"Prince Gilbert went horseback riding in the forest with a castle guest, sir." A guard told him politely.

Matthew felt the color drain from his face and asked urgently, "When did they leave?"

"Oh, about an hour or so ago," The guard responded. "The green eyed fellow, he was riding Ametrine! It surely was a sight, seeing that horse calm instead of in killer mode."

Matthew felt even more color drain from his face. He probably didn't have an ounce of color anymore. Oh no. This was very bad...he cursed Gilbert for doing something so foolish. If Alfred found out that Arthur was missing then he would be furious.

"Ametrine?" He choked out. "You mean...the same horse that shattered the gardener's kneecap? And who gave one of our knights permanent brain damage after kicking him in the head? That Ametrine?"

"Um...yes sir." The guard responded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't say nothing to stop them because Price Gilbert was with him. Plus the horse seemed pretty fine with him."

"Well, maybe they'll return before Alfred get's back," Matthew said to himself, trying to keep the situation as positive as he could, turning away from the guard and peering back toward the woods.

"Yo Mattie, where's Arthur?"

Now Matthew gave a yelp. How was it that his brother always appeared at the worst times possible? He heaved a great sigh before turned around to face his twin.

"Um, hey Al. Arthur...isn't here at the moment." Matthew admitted. He probably shouldn't have said it like that, because Alfred's reaction was bad.

"He's not..here?" Alfred asked slowly and dangerous. "What the hell do you mean? You said you'd take care of him!"

"I was allowing him to explore the gardens. But then...well, I guess Gilbert came and got him. Now they're on a horseback ride through the forest." Matthew told him, closing his eyes and waiting to be pummeled.

"...What? That damn werewolf took him? I knew that monster was no good!" Alfred growled.

"Gil only means well!" Matthew quickly defended his partner. "He must have thought that Arthur was bored or something."

"Well of course Arthur's bored!" Alfred cried out angrily. "But just because he's bored doesn't mean he can do dangerous things."

"Yeah, like ride the most vicious horse in the stables!" The guard said enthusiastically. Matthew glared at the guard, while Alfred's mouth dropped open and he looked ready to wrangle someone's neck.

"Get me a horse Matthew. I need to find my partner." He growled out slowly.

Just as Matthew was about to do as his brother ordered, there was the thundering sound of hooves clopping the earth. Both the twin's mouths hung open at what they saw. Gilbert and Arthur both grinning as they galloped back to the castle grounds, each holding swords.

As soon as they stopped, Alfred raced towards Arthur. His horse gave a loud whinny and shook her head violently, causing Alfred to halt. Observing his partner up closer though, Alfred would see flecks of fresh blood covering the sword he held.

"Arthur, come down!" He pleaded, holding out a hand. Arthur got the message immediately, dismounting his horse and walking into his lover's awaiting arms. Alfred looked him over in a panic, but sighed in relief when he found no injuries.

"You've no reason to freak out!" Gilbert said proudly as he haughtily jumped down from his own horse. "We just went for a thrill ride."

"You!" Alfred rounded on the werewolf furiously. Matthew grabbed Gilbert's arm protectively, but Alfred paid him no heed as he stepped closer. "Who the fuck gave you permission to take Arthur into the forest?"

"Permission?" Gilbert scoffed. "He's not a kid you know. Neither is he helpless."

"I know that!" Alfred snapped. "But right now he's in a vulnerable state. How stupid are you, to take him into such a dangerous place? And why the hell is he covered in blood!?"

"We encountered a few demons, which is the reason that I found-"

"Demons?" Alfred seethed. "So you force my partner, my mage, the other half of my heart to go skipping around a demon infested forest, unable to hear or speak? Not to mention, you allowed him to ride a crazy beast?"

As if sensing she was being insulted, Ametrine snorted and cuffed a hoof against the ground.

"Listen to me!" Gilbert said, emitting a low growl that made the hair stand up on the back of the necks of both twins. "He killed a poisonous 'common' all by himself, with one clean swing. I was even prepared to help, but I didn't have to. He even sensed the things before! Don't you see? Art here is still as good at fighting as ever. All he needs is a new strategy to make up for hearing loss."

Alfred faltered for a moment, especially when Arthur's hand snaked through his own. The green eyed man was smiling, nodding to his bloody sword in a sort of smug manner.

"Well…," He hesitated, looking once more at Arthur before back at Gilbert. "Alright. So what's this about a new strategy?"

"Well, I can teach him to fight with his other senses. I've taught more people to fight than you can count, and every person I've taught uses a different strategy. All Arthur needs to do is get used to fighting without hearing. With a bit of training, he'll be even better than he was when he had his hearing and voice!" Gilbert answered enthusiastically.

Alfred scratched his chin, examining Arthur with a thorough look.

"Alright then werewolf. Let's go inside and talk."

Matthew smiled to himself as the group of four went back towards the castle. Perhaps they were finally making some progress with this situation.

**Drop a quick review and let me know what you think please!**

**Next chapter is estimated to be posted about a week and a half :D**


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